"Cocktail is a brain-nourishing thing", what do you think of this statement? Having one or two glasses regularly during meals can make your conversation between meals more sharp. But complete abstinence from alcohol, or drinking too much, will only make you a fool. Moderate drinking makes you "smart"
Researchers' latest research found that those who drink one or two glasses every day during meals are more mentally alert than those who abstain from alcohol or are heavy drinkers. A survey of 7,000 respondents by a comprehensive university in Australia found that moderate drinkers are much stronger in language skills, memory and thinking ability than those who are extreme in their drinking habits. Moderate drinking means 14 to 28 drinks per week for men and 7 to 14 drinks per week for women.
The researchers said that the reasons for this are not yet clear. However, this study overturns the previous common belief that alcohol kills brain cells and makes drinkers' brains dull. Dr. Rogers Brian, a researcher, said that moderate drinkers also seem to be healthier, both physically and mentally.
The study investigated various aspects of the respondents, including physical health, personality, social life, social relationships, friendships and enemies, but still could not find a satisfactory explanation for this phenomenon. However, it seems that there are no social factors at play, such as whether they received better education, etc.
Abstinence from alcohol also harms the body Previously, a health survey by the University of London in the UK came to an interesting and surprising conclusion: non-drinkers and heavy drinkers have the same high mortality rate, while regular moderate drinkers can live longer and reduce the risk of heart disease.
The survey began in 1985 and involved 10,308 people from all walks of life working in London. Through 11 years of follow-up, researchers found: the number of deaths among non-drinkers in 11 years was twice that of those who consumed 8-80 grams of alcohol per week. In the survey of women: if a woman drinks more than twice a day, her risk of death is 7 times higher than those who drink only once or twice a week. In the survey of men: non-drinkers and those who consume more than 248 grams of alcohol per week, regardless of whether they drink liquor, beer or wine, have the same risk of death.
The researchers analyzed both the frequency and amount of alcohol consumption, and found that for heart disease, the risk of developing the disease was 80% higher in non-drinkers than in those who drank a small amount. In addition, for women, if the weekly alcohol intake exceeds 160 grams, the risk of heart disease increases by 58%. For men, even if the weekly alcohol intake exceeds 240 grams, there is no increase in the risk of heart disease. Why do some people get addicted to alcohol?
The researchers found that alcohol can increase the levels of chemicals in the brain such as dopamine, which is often associated with pleasure and addiction. Such chemicals bind to proteins called receptors to form a "reward circuit," sending pleasure signals to affect the body.
There are five types of dopamine receptors in the brain, and D2 has an important effect on alcoholism. Neuroscientists from Brookhaven National Laboratory have now discovered another receptor called D3, which can also lead to alcoholism.